PEMBROKE, N.C. – UNC Pembroke and Francis Marion University combined for over 100 kills in a highly-contested match on Thursday night (Sept. 20) at the English E. Jones Center as the Braves defeated the Patriots 3-1 (31-29, 27-30, 30-27, 30-26) in volleyball action in the Peach Belt Conference opener for both teams.
Six different players in the match reached double digit kills with FMU’s Jessica Lombardi racking up an impressive 19 kills. UNCP’s Rebekah Niesborella led the Braves with 15 kills in the four-game match.
UNCP improves to 11-9 on the season (1-0 in the PBC), while the Patriots fall to 5-14 and 0-1.
Jessica Hartley and Rachel Young each tallied 12 kills for the Braves in helping lead UNCP to victory. Heather Fierce added 47 assists to her total on the season with Niesborella and Andrea Laza garnering 17 digs each.
The Braves were strong at the net totaling 14 blocks with Hartley and Whitney Hanlin combining for 10 of those blocks (five each).
FMU’s libero Karli Koralewski earned a game-high 22 digs with setter Jenna Kaiser tallying 45 assists. Krissy Mordini and Jackie Phiel garnered 13 and 12 kills in the match as Phiel and Michelle Settergren totaled four blocks apiece.
Francis Marion will play host to St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
UNC Pembroke def. Francis Marion Univ. 31-29,27-30,30-27,30-26
Francis Marion Univ. (5-14, 0-1 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lombardi,
Jessica 19-1-1; Mordini, Krissy 13-1-0; Phiel, Jackie 12-1-0;
Settergren, Michelle 4-0-4; Eggert, Mallory 4-0-4; Kaiser, Jenna
3-1-2; Straiter, Kaitlin 1-0-0; Koralewski, Karli 0-1-0; Totals
56-5-7.0. (Assists) - Kaiser, Jenna 45. (Dig leaders) - Koralewski,
Karli 22; Deaton, Kelsie 18; Kaiser, Jenna 15; Lombardi, Jessica 13;
Phiel, Jackie 12; Mordini, Krissy 11
UNC Pembroke (11-9, 1-0 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Niesborella,
Rebekah 15-1-1; Hartley, Jessica 12-1-5; Young, Rachel 12-0-4;
O'Connor, Lizzie 7-0-3; Hanlin, Whitney 6-0-5; Anderson, Tiara 2-0-0;
Marbert, Kayla 1-2-0; Fierce, Heather 1-1-0; Laza, Andrea 1-4-0;
Haworth, Caitlin 0-3-0; Totals 57-12-14.0. (Assists) - Fierce, Heather
47. (Dig leaders) - Laza, Andrea 17; Niesborella, Rebekah 17; Haworth,
Caitlin 16; Fierce, Heather 15; Marbert, Kayla 15
Site: Pembroke, N.C. (English E. Jones)
Date: Sep 20, 2007 Attend: 238 Time: 2:11
Referees:, Kay Moody
